The Green Economy Coalition is the world's largest alliance of organisations committed to a green economy. Each year all our members come together to discuss our purpose, activities and objectives, and we have a look backwards to see where we have come from. This is our story so far.... Take a look.

1. GEC history,
partners and
www.greeneconomycoalition.org
purpose

2. GEC shared vision:
prosperity for all within one planet
GEC goal:
to accelerate the transition to a green, fair
and inclusive economy
GEC strength:
35+ diverse organisations with a shared
narrative and collaborative projects

3. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Coalition

4. Stern
report
UK
(2006)
Financial
crisis
(2008)
Food
crisis
(2008)
UNEP’s
Green
Economy
Initiative
launched
(2008)
UNFCCC,
COP 15
(2009)
Green Economy
Coalition
formed
(2009)
Planetary
boundaries first
published
(2009)
WEF focuses on
health of economy
(2010)
WBCSD publishes
Vision 2050
(2010)
Rio puts Green
Economy on
agenda
(2010)
GGGI formed
(2010)
Occupy
movement
(2011)
WEF focuses
on inequality
(2011)
Oxfam
launches
‘land
grabs’
campaign
(2012)
First UN
Partnership
for Action on
the Green
Economy
Rio+20
(2012)
Eurozone
crisis -
Greece
defaults
(2012)
(PAGE)
Conference
(2013)
World Bank
issues first
‘Inclusive
Green
Growth’ DPL
Loan
(2014)

5. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
USP?
• Our scope: Only alliance looking across whole
transition picture rather than single units (e.g. energy
policy or finance reform)
• Our diversity: Members represent very different
interests: environment, development, labour, UN,
business and come from around the world.
• Our brand: We are trusted and recognised to tackle
the full range of green economy issues

6. Phase 3 objectives: 2013-2015
1. Ensure that ecological limits, inclusivity and equity
underscore green economic policies and activities at
all levels
2. Shape the agendas of ‘economic power’: e.g. G20,
World Economic Forum, governments, World Bank.
3. Drive coherence across green economy policy
www.greeneconomycoalition.org
processes and stakeholder groups (business,
governments, civil society)
4. Expand and maintain our position as the clearest, most
influential civil society voice on green economy

7. Five Themes of change Three Core Activities
Collectively Influencing
Building coherence
Mobilising through dialogue
Phase 3
Measurement and Governance
Finance reform
Greening sectors/SMEs
Investing in people
Valuation to action
Green Economy Coalition network
Secretariat and
Steering Group

8. GEC’s FIVE THEMES OF CHANGE & PROJECTS
5. Improving governance and measurement
• Measure what matters
• Green economy indicators
4. Influencing financial flows
• Reform for green economy investment
3. Greening economic sectors
• SMEs for green growth
• Energy
2. Investing in people
• Equity in the green economy
1. Managing natural systems
• Principles for natural capital
valuation

9. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Current
context?

10. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
What do people care about?
• Jobs/unemployment?
• Fair wages?
• Decent housing,
healthcare, education?
• Economic stability?
• Local community?
• Personal security?
How do these relate to the
Green Economy?

11. GGGI + Korea
dedicated
80% of fiscal
stimulus to
green growth
projects
National plans proliferating
South
Africa’s
‘green
economy
accord’
Mexico’s
low carbon
+ green
economy
plan
Denmark +
others – ‘3GF’
Forum; DANIDA
‘green growth’
Indonesia’s
green growth
plan
China
earmarked
$140bn of
$586bn fiscal
stimulus to
green
development
EU Vision
2020
strategy
Cambodia’s
National
Green Growth
Ethiopia’s Roadmap
Climate
Resilient Green
Economy
Strategy
Vietnam 2012
National
Green Growth
Strategy
Barbados’
National
Strategic
Plan 2006–
2025
Botswana’s
Strategy for
Diversification
and Sustainable
Growth
Peru working
with GGGI on
National Forest
and Wildlife
Plan (NFWP)
Germany’s
‘Energiewende’

12. International institutions taking action
Green Growth and Green Economy
GGGI: ‘global laboratory to support experimentation and collective learning by countries
seeking to leapfrog the resource intensive and environmentally unsustainable model of
industrial development pioneered by advanced economies in an earlier era’
World Bank: Green growth = how environmental policies can increase conventionally
measured GDP through four channels linked to input, efficiency, stimulus and innovation. But
‘the ultimate test of green growth is welfare, not output’.
OECD: Green growth = ‘establish incentives or institutions that increase well-being by: 1.
Improving resource management and boosting productivity; 2. Encouraging economic
activity where it is of best advantage to society over the long term; 3. Leading to new ways of
meeting the above two objectives, i.e. innovation’.
UNEP: Green economy = improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly
reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.
PAGE: Will help build the enabling conditions for the green economy in participating countries
by shifting investment and policies towards the creation of a new generation of assets, such
as clean technologies, resource efficient infrastructure, well-functioning ecosystems, green
skilled labour and good governance.
GGKP: “Green growth means fostering economic growth and development while ensuring
that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our
well-being relies.” GGKP identifies and addresses major knowledge gaps in green growth
theory and practice in order to offer practitioners and policymakers the policy guidance,
good practices, tools, and data necessary to support the transition to a green economy.

13. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Private sector responding
• Bloomberg LP has committed to achieve a 30%
emission efficiency reduction (on 2012 levels) and
generate at least 8,000,000 kWh from on-site solar by
2020.
• Deloitte UK has committed to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions by 35% (per full time equivalent) on
2011 levels by fiscal year 2021.
• Microsoft launched its Carbon Neutral programme in
fiscal 2013 with the aim of using an internal carbon
fee to make its internal operations across data
centres, software development labs, offices and air
travel carbon neutral.
• UN Global Compact’s 2013 Accenture CEO study
found that 84%of CEOs believe that business should
lead efforts to define and deliver sustainable
development goals.
• IBM’s environmental award program recognising
internal environmental attainment; Sony’s ‘Road to
Zero’ environmental footprint initiative; ‘Yamaha
Forest’ Yamaha’s forests/biodiversity preservation
initiatives; HSBC’s Water Programme; and Google’s
‘Google Green’ energy efficiency and renewable
energy programme.

14. Positioning of key institutions
GGGI
IIED,
Development
Alternatives,
Vitae Civilis,
CANARI
Inclusivity and equity
Green economic growth
UNEP’s
Green
Economy
Initiative
(PAGE)
PwC
types
Green Economy
Coalition
WWF ,
IUCN
etc
Puma,
B&Q,
M&S,
types
Christian Aid,
Oxfam
Trade
unions
Green
peace
etc
World
Bank
OECD
GRI,
Nat. Cap.
Coalition

15. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Global macro changes
• The End of Cheap: The declining importance of low cost labour,
undervalued resources and eco-services, and low cost finance,
as a driving force of growth and globalization.
• Tech Revolution: Increased robotization of “routinizable”
employment, and transfer of previously “safe haven” untraded
services and associated employment opportunities online.
• Inequality Puzzle: Global declines in inequality between
countries have been accompanied by rising social inequality
within countries in the developed and developing world.
• Return of the State: The rise of the east has highlighted the
potentially key role of the state in economic and industrial
policy, with state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds
increasingly important.

16. Green economy challenges
•Political gridlock -
green policy
politicised.
www.greeneconomycoalition.org
•Economic uncertainty
fosters short-termism.
•GE not responding to
people’s needs

17. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Dialogues

18. Core Activity: Mobilising through
dialogue
Mobilising and building capacity building through
dialogues - linking to UNEP PAGE national activity.
Objectives:
• Ensure civil society involvement in national and
regional green economy processes
• Share knowledge between different national
experiences and stakeholder groups
• Inform international policy targets
Core team:
IIED, UNEP, Vitae Civilis, Development Alternatives, Canari,
New Economics Foundation, Stakeholder Forum, Africa for
a Green Economy, EcoUnion, GEC secretariat.
Funding sources:
DFID, UNEP PAGE, Other national governments.

19. International Hubs for the green economy
SOUTH AFRICA HUB
• Mapping out local ‘new economy’ initiatives
• Developing a network
• Prompting dialogue
INDIA HUB
• Mapping out local ‘new economy’ initiatives
• Developing a network
• Prompting dialogue

20. International Hubs for the green economy
CARIBBEAN Green Economy Action Learning Group
(GE ALG).
Current work includes:
• Supporting SMEs to contribute to social equity
and environmental sustainability.
• Renewable energy as a pathway to GE in the
Caribbean.
See publication “A New Paradigm for
Caribbean Development: Transitioning to
a Green Economy” for more details.
http://www.canari.org/
Key Contact:
Nicole Leotaud, Executive Director,
Caribbean Natural Resources Institute
(nicole@canari.org)

21. UNEP Partnership for Action on Green Economy
(PAGE)
UNEP Green Economy progress
The UNEP led Green Economy Initiative
was launched in 2008, producing the
Green Economy report in 2011and
operating advisory services in 30+
countries.
By 2014, more than 48 countries have
developed national green economy or
sustainable development plans.
Adding the countries where UNEP
advisory services work along with PAGE
priority countries totals close around 65
countries engaged in green economy
activities.

22. UNEP Partnership for Action on Green Economy
(PAGE)
PAGE Package and Tools

23. Knowledge
platform and
shared narrative
www.greeneconomycoalition.org

24. Core Activity: Building coherence through
knowledge platforms
Communications and narrative –
Relevance and Evidence.
Objectives:
• Expand our knowledge base at the
national and local levels to capture stories,
analysis, examples and evidence across our
five themes of change
• Support a growing network of green
economy practitioners to share their
experiences and evidence of different
policy measures, encouraging debate and
exchange
• Monitor global trends to support knowledge
sharing across the different communities
Collaboration opportunity:
Help us create a shared green economy story.

25. Interconnected project
platforms
GEC Homepage
GreenEcoNet
Measure what
matters

26. Pitching to ‘People and Power’
Key messages from the session (Please add your thoughts!)

27. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Improving
governance and
measurement

28. Measure What Matters
Overview:
Measure What Matters (MWM) aims to bring greater alignment
between corporate, national and global sustainability data
frameworks. Using the SDG processes, MWM will influence national
‘beyond GDP’ agendas and corporate sustainability measurement,
helping to align markets to societal priorities.
Core team:
Melanie Siggs, Jessica Fries, Pietro Bertazzi, Anne Beutling, Charlotte
Masiello-Riome, Sarah Nolleth, Chris West, Tom Bigg.
Key Contacts:
Chris West (chris.west@york.ac.uk)
Melanie Siggs (melanie.siggs@royal.gsx.gov.uk)
Emily Benson (emily.benson@greeneconomycoalition.org)

29. Measure What Matters
Aligning business, national and global data
• Measure what matters (MWM) is pushing
businesses, governments and international
organisations to start measuring their 'success'
beyond profit alone.
• We are aligning corporate sustainability
reporting, alternatives to GDP and global
SDGs so that these performance metrics
overlap and can compliment each others’
measures of success.
In June 2014, MWM petitioned the UN Presidents
of the General Assembly to establish a
mechanism to discuss and agree a coherent
measurement framework for the Post-2015
Development Agenda which accounts for the
need for greater alignment between success
metrics at different levels.

30. Measure What Matters

31. Alignment: A water example
Aligning water sustainability frameworks
The GEC has contributed to the recently published
water focused paper ‘Water: Accounting for Shared
Priorities’ which investigates alignment between
current water reporting frameworks at corporate,
national and global levels.
The paper finds minimal alignment amongst
sustainability frameworks in key areas and on
interpretations of success. MWM argues for a greater
overlap between different indicator sets and
performance metrics so that stakeholders and
governments can better manage shared assets, risks
and responsibilities.
Opportunity:
Join the MWM consultation or be one of our experts.
http://measurewhatmatters.info/

32. NETGREEN
Overview:
NETGREEN is building a database to help identify and understand
the indicators most suited to measuring progress towards the green
economy. It aims to create user-friendly platform which highlights the
most appropriate green metrics for any purpose, and to bring
together both researchers and decision makers through workshops
and events.
Core team:
Lucas Porsch, Karen Jeffrey.
Key Contact:
Lucas Porsch (lucas.porsch@ecologic.eu)

33. NETGREEN
Network for Green Economy Indicators
NETGREEN has helped focus discussion and
research on green economy metrics by
developing an overview of the existing
efforts to measure the transformation toward
a green economy.
The platform being developed will be able
to analyse this inventory of tools and
indicators and recommend the most
appropriate green measurement indicators
for any query.
Opportunity:
Be a content expert, user group member or
attend NETGREEN workshops.
http://netgreen-project.eu/

34. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Influencing
financial flows

35. Finance for green economy investment
Overview
UNEP, a founding GEC partner, has launched its finance inquiry with the aim
of “catalysing actions to enable the financial system to support the transition
to inclusive green economies”. GEC is currently determining its supporting
intervention based on 8 prospective proposals.
Civil society leaders:
James Leaton, Fran Boait, Sue Charman, Chris Hewett, Jennifer Morgan,
Holger Schmid, Raj Thamotheram, Catherine Howarth, Maya Forstater,
Richard Spencer, Hans-Peter Egler, Tony Greenham, Greg Ford.
Key Contact:
Oliver Greenfield
(oliver.greenfield@greeneconomycoalition.org)

36. Collaborate for change
Green economy needs finance
The GEC enables civil society to develop
transformative policy, to collaborate for change
and through collective influence, gain better
access to policy makers.
Finance is one area where the GEC recognises
the need for civil society intervention and
collaboration to deliver the economies we
want.
UNEP has recently launched its Inquiry into a
Sustainable Financial System and, as a founding
member of the GEC, is looking for the GEC’s
collective input on sustainable finance.

37. A Sustainable Financial System - UNEP
Policy Innovations for a Green Economy
UNEP’s inquiry is being led by Dr. Simon Zadek, Visiting
Scholar at Tsinghua School of Economics and
Management and Senior Fellow at the Global Green
Growth Institute, Nick Robins, Head of HSBC’s Climate
Change Centre of Excellence, and Mahenau Agha,
UNEP Advisor.
They are being supported by an advisory council of
key leaders drawn from the worlds of finance
regulation, banking, investment and academia (right)
who will help to guide the inquiry’s research.
Opportunity:
Get in contact and help contribute to the UNEP
inquiry through the GEC.
http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/financialinquiry

38. Reforming finance to invest in green economy
Prospective GEC finance projects
The GEC network offers a platform for eight civil
society finance reform ideas to be considered by
both the UNEP Finance Inquiry and by our broader
coalition for support.
In considering these reform projects we will be
examining:
1. If there are collaboration opportunities between
the projects.
2. If the projects align with the UNEP finance inquiry’s
insights and conclusions.
3. If the projects connect well with a green economy
political narrative.
4. If the projects offer collaborative opportunities to
the broader GEC coalition.

39. A Sustainable Financial System - UNEP
The 8 reform projects and their champions are:
1. Raj Thamotheram - Harnessing the power of sell-side
research to promote long-term behaviours by asset
managers and corporations.
2. James Leaton - Increasing the cost of capital for fossil fuels.
3. Jen Morgan - Transforming Finance Collaborative Network.
4. Catherine Howarth - Empowering pension savers to unlock
sustainable investment.
5. Fran Boait - Activating an International Debate on
Monetary Policy.
6. Hans-Peter Egler - Sustainable Infrastructure as an Asset
Class.
7. Susan Brown - Integrating Environmental Risk into the Bond
Market.
8. Tony Greenham – Monetary Policy and Sustainability.
Perennial Research Trust

40. Greening sectors:
www.greeneconomycoalition.org
SMEs

41. GreenEcoNet for SMEs
Objectives:
Develop an exchange network of best practices aimed at private
enterprises, the academic research institutions, business networks and the
wider business community, with a special focus on SMEs.
Core team:
Emily Benson, Corrado Topi, Helen Marquard
Key Contact:
Corrado Topi (corrado.topi@york.ac.uk)

42. Connecting SMEs for the green economy
GreenEcoNet
The GEC’s work on greening the SME (small
and medium enterprise) sector has focused
on partnering with a consortium of six
European organisations with European
Commission funding to launch a Europe-wide
platform to help SMEs share green best
practice.
The project’s four main goals are to:
1. Map the green economy by developing a taxonomy of all the actors, practices
and initiatives which constitute a green economy.
2. Develop the taxonomy into a web platform that will allow users to share experience
and expertise, as well as search green case studies and tools.
3. Stimulate debate and engagement by hosting thematic workshops, meetings and
online forums bringing together SMEs, policy-makers and researchers.
4. Develop guidance and tools to ensure policy and practical support for SMEs so they
can be at the fore front of bringing the green economy.

43. GreenEcoNet
WP2 Platform launch
The GreenEcoNet website officially launched
on the 25 June 2014 and operates as a
platform where SMEs can access key
sustainability tools, green solutions, case
studies and share experiences of moving to
greener business models.
• Many business sustainability programs,
are not designed for small organisations
like SMEs. Small businesses need green
solutions tailored to their size and sector,
and consequently do best when they
learn about sustainability solutions from
their peers.
• GreenEcoNet’s library of case studies
allows SMEs to find businesses similar to
their own and learn about green best
practice.
• They can also submit their own
sustainability successes to gain free
exposure for their business or projects, all
while encouraging other SMEs go green.

44. GreenEcoNet
Going global?
The challenge for GreenEcoNet has been
getting in contact with SMEs and encouraging
them to share their green business successes.
This is hard enough at a European level, where
SMEs face broadly similar regulations, economic
circumstances and often share a common
language.
For the next step of taking the network global
we will need to develop new strategies and a
more streamlined platform to handle a wider
range of SMEs and users.
Opportunity:
Help GreenEcoNet go global by becoming an
expert, signing up your small business, or sharing
your green product or business idea.
http://greeneconet.eu/

45. Greening sectors:
www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Energy

46. Energy policy
Overview:
Energy is at the core of green economy and the GEC is developing a new
energy policy approach in readiness for engagement with the Paris, 2015 UN
climate negotiations. The emerging project is based around the UN
Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) program and will focus on linking action
on energy access and renewables with national level green economy
initiatives.
Core team:
Sarah Wykes, Ben Garside, Aaron Leopold,
Margreet Van Doodewaard.
Key Contact:
Oliver Greenfield
(oliver.greenfield@greeneconomycoalition.org)

47. GEC energy policy priorities
Energy in the post-2015 development framework
The GEC’s future energy policy will be based on
achieving three key strategic goals:
• Positioning the GEC on energy for the UN CCC
climate negotiations in Paris, 2015 (COP 21/CMP 11).
• Allowing further GEC partner collaboration in support
of international/regional/national/local energy
initiatives and international policy frameworks e.g. EU
Energy Roadmap 2050.
• Beginning GEC engagement with the UN Sustainable
Energy for All (SE4ALL) program, the most promising
international energy initiative aligned with the GEC’s
long term goals.

48. Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)
What is SE4ALL?
The Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative
was launched by the UN in 2012 with the aim of
helping to guarantee clean energy access. It is
convened by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
and supported by private sector,
governmental and civil society groups
committed to “mobilise global action from all
sectors to transform the world’s energy systems,
pursue the elimination of energy poverty, and
enhance prosperity”.
Its three key objectives are to:
• Ensure universal access to modern energy
services
• Double the global rate of improvement in
energy efficiency
• Double the share of renewable energy in the
global energy mix

49. GEC energy engagement
GEC’s contribution to SE4ALL
GEC partners including IIED, CAFOD and Hivos are already engaged with the SE4ALL
programme and have proposed adjustments to the current framework of goals and
targets.
The GEC is convinced that the green economy will need renewable energy,
renewable energy needs strong policy backing, and effective energy policy will
need a solid carbon price. Successful positioning for Paris, 2015 is the best way to
push this agenda forward.
Opportunity:
A movement is emerging and the GEC could join with these organisations to call
together for a stronger SE4ALL, national effective implementation plans and a robust
climate deal. The key question: Should we back it?

50. www.greeneconomycoalition.org
Investing in
people

51. Equity in the green economy
Overview:
For the GEC, equity is the heartland of green
economy.
GEC want to empower the excluded to have a
stake in the new economy and ensure that it is
fairer than its predecessor. To achieve this the
GEC will publish papers on how to measure
equity effectively and on how to incorporate
equity policies in national green economy
planning.
Core team:
Zeenat Niazi, Sarah Wykes, Dorit Kemter , Steve
Bass, George Varughese, Kate Raworth,
Mandira Singh Thakur.
Key Contact:
Tighe Geoghegen (tigheg@gmail.com)

52. Equity in the green economy
Why is equity important?
Equity is back on the global agenda, with President Obama calling the US’ growing
income gap and decreasing economic mobility the “defining challenge of our time”.
Obama went on to quote a line from Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation "Evangelii
Gaudium," asking, "How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless
person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?"
The GEC believes improving the lives of all is at the heart of the green economy
opportunity. That is why we champion equity in the green economy.

54. Securing social justice in the green economy
Reconciling greenness and fairness
Policies aimed at stimulating green growth or the
green economy are sometimes accused of
ignoring issues of social justice, equity and
inclusivity. Two of the GEC members, IIED and
CAFOD, have produced guidelines for ensuring
green policies are genuinely beneficial to those
in poverty and recognise the unique social
circumstances of the communities they are
aimed at.
Poverty reduction and environmental
sustainability inevitably need to go hand in
hand, but though these programmes are often
mutually reinforcing, they do conflict when it
comes to realising some aspects of the green
economy. Good policy design and
implementation can help recognise where these
competing goals are aligned and opposed,
ultimately helping to reconcile effective action
on both poverty and the environment.

55. Managing natural
www.greeneconomycoalition.org
systems

56. Much work underway at the interface of
economy and ecology
Certification
Payment for Ecosystem services
9 Planetary Boundaries

57. GEC decided natural capital valuation is the
priority for our collective attention
We are
internalising
negative
externalities
Because:
You’re commoditising
nature
• It helps economic power understand the importance of nature
• It is one of the most controversial components of green economy
• It is emerging in national and corporate accounts
• We need to be involved to ensure it is done in an inclusive,
scientific and transparent way – reflecting the interests of all
stakeholders AND …that it leads to practical outcomes that
safeguard natural systems

58. Principles for Natural Capital Valuation
Establishing the rules for valuation
Overview:
An emerging GEC collaboration involves the creation
of a draft charter of principles for natural capital based
on an inclusive dialogue between the opponents and
supporters of valuation methodologies. If a charter can
be drawn up, and safeguards agreed, this could then
help guide the development of both national and
corporate valuation practices.
Objectives:
• Create an inclusive dialogue and consultation on valuation and
payments for ecosystem services.
• Use dialogue outcome to draft a charter of natural capital
principles which can help to guide corporate and national
valuation processes.
• Sign off on principles by members/affiliates at the IUCN
conservation council.
Potential Partners: IUCN, WWF, SWT

59. Principles for Natural Capital Valuation
Establishing the rules for valuation
Opportunities:
• Be part of the core team
• Help define the principles
• Help with the consultation and dialogues
• Join the advocacy activities
• Sign up your organisation to the Principles.
Core team:
Jo Pike, Karen Ellis, Kookie Habtegaber, Gerard Bos, Pieter van der Gaag
Key Contacts:
Oliver Greenfield (oliver.greenfield@greeneconomycoalition.org)